Lavanta Meze Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Leeds

This was the first and last time we will go to Lavante When we walked through the door there was soil all over the floor where the Christmas tree had fallen and when we walked out it was still in the same state The service was very poor. The staff had no customer service skills whatsoever and hadn’t dressed properly for work - one even had his zip undone which was very off putting We asked for some bread and they brought us something completely different After we ordered our food (it was very tasty) however my main was wrong which I did point out to the waiter. He just wasn’t bothered that the main was wrong, there was no offer to put it right but I kept the food and ate it as we didn’t want to stay in the restaurant for long given the poor service. When our bill came we paid the extra 10% service charge. The chef then came out and took all the money we had put down and said “oh that is very kind” I knew then that we would not get our change back, and we did not. My husband didn’t want me to say anything but I think it is completely unacceptable and rude to take the whole amount (yes it was only an extra £2.80) but the point is: the service was appalling, they had already charged a service charge and this kind of behaviour is unacceptable. As a customer it is your choice if you pay extra and not up to the chef or the waiter to just take your money and not give you your change. I was actually really disgusted at this behaviour We won’t be returning and I wouldn’t recommend the...

The food was just OK, but what is more important to me is how the staff treat you. We went to Lavanta with my wife and two kids. My wife chose from the lunch menu ( 2 courses for £12.95). She asked the waiter who by the way was a very polite young man if she could have a salad instead of her main course? The answer was yes. When we had our bill I noticed that was not the case. they charged £12.95 for starter plus £5.95 for salad while she just had a starter and a salad. I asked the waiter if the bill was correct, he then called his boss who I believe is the owner and the cook - Orhan Girgin. He was dishevel, with stinky clothes and came a cross to be very nervy. He said when you go for the lunch menu you are charged for £12.95 even if you just had the starter and that you should pay for the salad. He eventually took off extra £5.95 for salad but was very rude to us in front of my family. For me paying £5.95 was not a big deal as I tipped 15% tip to the polite waiter but what he was saying did not make any sense. There are plenty of good Mediterranean restaurants around here where they treat you like customer and happy to explain if you have a question about your bill i.e Olive Branch, Amalthea Greek Cafe Bistro & Santorini. But if you decide to go to Lavanta and found your self being extra charged then Good luck to...

If you love Turkish food, then you should try this place. It’s a gem of a place. I have seen this restaurant hundreds of times when driving through the road as it’s not far from my home but never been inside. Yesterday went with my family first time and have to say that this is the most authentic Turkish restaurant in Leeds I have tried so far. Staff: It’s a family run place. Although one of their staff member called in sick, so from placing order to preparing and serving, everything was done by the owners. They were extremely friendly and respectful and quick. We met a friendly Turkish couple, who have also just explored this place few weeks ago. They were telling us that since their first visit, they have been coming here every weekend as they love their food. Their food was really nice. Lots of options to choose from. Bit pricy but you get what you pay for! Lot of alcohol options including Turkish Reku. A must try is their Chef’s Mezze Platter. Portions are large and very well served. Time from ordering to serving is 15-20 minutes even with low staffing levels, which is really quick. A couple of things which I didn’t like was the furniture is getting old and probably needs looking at. Toilet needs a little attention to cleaning etc. Overall I would love to recommend this place and I would definitely...